Yerba mate, a medium-sized, evergreen tree, is indigenous to regions of Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay. Native Indians in these regions have long used the tree's leaves to prepare a tea. Yerba mate is traditionally used to increase energy, suppress the appetite and stimulate digestion. Yerba mate is rich in vitamins, minerals amino acids and polyphenols. It is also high in caffeine, as one serving contains 50 to 100 mg of caffeine. Yerba is traditionally brewed in a small metal gourd that acts as a cup for the tea, and drunk with a metal filtering straw called a bombilla.
Step 1
Fill the gourd two-thirds full with yerba mate tea leaves. Place the bombilla into the gourd.
Step 2
Pour 12 oz. of water into a tea kettle and heat it. Remove the water from heat before it reaches the boiling point. Water that is too hot may ruin the nutritional content of the tea.
Step 3
Pour the water into the gourd up to the rim. Allow the tea to brew for 3 minutes before drinking.
Step 4
Refill the gourd with hot water up to 15 times. This will also allow you to share the tea with others, which is the way people traditionally drink yerba mate tea.
Tips and Warnings
- You may flavor the tea with sugar, honey or lemon for extra flavor. The gourd and bombilla are sold at specialty health food stores or at Hispanic supermarkets.
Things You'll Need
- Loose leaf yerba mate tea
- Gourd
- Bombilla
- Teapot
- Water
References
- "Healing Teas: How to Prepare and Use Teas to Maximize Your Health"; Marie Nadine Antol; 1995
- "Yerba Mate: The Tea of South America"; Pan Amrican Union; 1916
- Raintree Nutrition: The Healing Power of Rainforest Herbs; Leslie Taylor; 1996
- MayoClinic.com: Yerba Mate: Is it Safe to Drink?; Katherine Zeratsky; Jan. 2010
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